Question

Can't Share CDROM drive in WinXP

Asked by: akahan

I am running Windows XP on all my machines on my home LAN.  Some are using Win XP Home, others are using Win XP Pro.

I would like to share a CD/DVDROM drive on one machine, so that other machines on the LAN can access (read) the CD in that drive.

It seems to me I've done this in the past, but it's not working lately.

I am running simple file sharing on the XP Pro machines.  Of course, for the XP Home machines, simple file sharing is the only kind of sharing available.  

The machine on which the CDROM drive is installed is running XP Home, and is able to share directories with the other machines on the network in the usual way:  right-click on the directory I want to share, pick sharing and security, and check "share this folder on the network."

So I know I don't have problems with sharing *generally*.  But it is unable to share the CDROM drive:  I can TELL it to share the CDROM drive, and, in "My Computer" on that machine I get the icon with the little "hand" for the CDROM drive, but when I try to access the CDROM drive from other machines by entering \\machinename in Windows Explorer, while I can see it as  "D", clicking on it yields:   "\\machinename\D is not accessible.  You might not have permission to use this network resource.  Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.  The device is not ready."  I am able to access shared folders on that machine; just not the shared CDROM drive.

What might be my problem?  Why would the machine be able to share directories on its hard drives, but not its CDROM drive?

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Asked On
2009-10-19 at 09:24:17ID24824078
Tags

Windows XP

Topics

Windows XP Operating System

,

Windows NT Networking

,

Hard Drives & Storage

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Comments
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Answers

 

by: akahanPosted on 2009-10-19 at 09:26:54ID: 25606631

Oh, I should mention I only get the "The device is not ready" portion of the error message when there's no CD in the drive.  When there IS a CD in the drive, the error message I get when I try to access the drive from another machine on the network is:  \\machinename\D is not accessible.  You might not have permission to access this network resource.  Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions.  Access is denied."

 

by: ConsultPCPosted on 2009-10-19 at 13:33:42ID: 25608740

you have a windows firewall on or off? if is off turn'it on
if you have an antivirus program with a integrated firewall, verify the setings

 

by: akahanPosted on 2009-10-19 at 13:40:04ID: 25608801

Windows firewall is turned off on all machines on my LAN.  But even if it were turned on, why would it distinguish between sharing directories on the hard drive and sharing the CDROM?  The same ports and protocols are used for sharing no matter what's being shared, aren't they?

 

by: Pacemaker9007Posted on 2009-10-19 at 13:52:02ID: 25608909

Hi, aAre you using any burning software, like NERO or similar. I know there was a problem where Nero has been changing access rights

 

by: ConsultPCPosted on 2009-10-19 at 13:58:37ID: 25608974

Pls try to enable firewall for your computer and one of the computer in your LAN. If dont work, try to enable advanced sharing for your computer and set full acces for enyware

 

by: akahanPosted on 2009-10-19 at 14:04:23ID: 25609028

I *do* have Nero running on the machine, yes!  Any idea how to restore the access rights that Nero might have changed?

ConsultPC:  As mentioned, the machine with the CDROM drive is running WinXP Home, and WinXP Home doesn't have "advanced sharing," but only "simple sharing".

 

by: Pacemaker9007Posted on 2009-10-19 at 14:13:11ID: 25609110

Check your control panel to see if you have NeroBurn Rights. If yes, try changing the settings from administrators to everybody, reboot and try again.

 

by: akahanPosted on 2009-10-19 at 14:58:05ID: 25609397

I've got nothing in Control Panel about Nero... but it's a pretty old version of Nero: Nero Express 6.

 

by: akahanPosted on 2009-10-19 at 15:05:36ID: 25609430

ConsultPC:  It seems like the complete OPPOSITE of what I'd want to do, but I'll try enabling the firewall on two machines later this afternoon, and see if that does anything for me.

 

by: ConsultPCPosted on 2009-10-19 at 15:26:16ID: 25609545

For Nero6 is a separate plugin - Nero Burn Rights, but i remain with my opinion - your problem is firewall :)

 

by: akahanPosted on 2009-10-19 at 15:40:02ID: 31642976

Installed Burnrights on the machine, set to "Everybody," and the CDROM drive is now readable on the network.  Thanks!

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